The present invention relates to a display apparatus for displaying a static picture, particularly such a display apparatus capable of selecting display picture or screen sizes.
Hitherto, there has been proposed a type of display apparatus for displaying a static picture wherein a negative or positive image recorded in a photographic film, etc., is written in a spatial light modulator (SLM) and is read out therefrom for viewing. Our research and development group also has proposed a display apparatus wherein a picture or image recorded in a negative film is written into an SLM at one time by illumination with writing light and reproduced therefrom for viewing (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 9-15732 (corr. to U.S. Application. Ser. No. 08/644683)).
On the other hand, as a recent practice in photography, photographing is sometimes performed while selecting a picture size, and more specifically in an advanced photography system wherein a photography film is provided with a magnetic coating so as to record a picture size, a selection from three picture sizes of H size, C size and P size is allowed.
In a conventional static picture display apparatus using a spatial light modulator, such films carrying different sizes of pictures are viewed through respective aperture mask means for reading light (e.g., as disclosed in JP-A 5-157984).
In case of providing separate movable mask means, etc., corresponding to sizes of pictures to be reproduced, it is necessary to use a larger and expensive apparatus.
In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact and inexpensive display apparatus allowing observation or viewing of films carrying different sizes of pictures.
According to the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising: a spatial light modulator capable of writing therein and displaying a picture, a recording medium carrying a recorded image and disposed in front of the spatial light modulator, and a writing light source disposed in a position suitable for emitting writing light and illuminating the recording medium with the writing light to project the recorded image onto the spatial light modulator, wherein
said spatial light modulator comprises a pair of transparent substrates disposed with a prescribed gap therebetween and each having thereon a transparent electrode, and a liquid crystal layer and a photoconductor layer disposed between the substrates, the transparent electrode on one substrate being split into a plurality of split electrodes, and said display apparatus further includes:
a voltage application means for applying a writing voltage to the plurality of split electrodes independently,
a picture size selection means for selecting a size of picture displayed on the spatial light modulator,
an electrode selection means for selecting a split electrode for writing voltage application depending on the selected picture size, and
a control means for controlling the voltage application means so as to select the split electrode for writing voltage application based on an output of the picture size selection means and corresponding to the selected picture size, controlling the voltage application means to apply the writing voltage to the selected split electrode, and controlling the writing light source so as to illuminate the recording medium and project the recorded image thereon as a writing image onto the spatial light modulator.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising: a spatial light modulator capable of writing therein and displaying a picture, a recording medium carrying a recorded image and disposed in front of the spatial light modulator, and a writing light source disposed in a position suitable for emitting writing light and illuminating the recording medium with the writing light to project the recorded image onto the spatial light modulator, wherein
said spatial light modulator comprises a pair of transparent substrates disposed with a prescribed gap therebetween and each having thereon a transparent electrode, and a liquid crystal layer and a photoconductor layer disposed between the substrates, the transparent electrode on one substrate comprising a plurality of transparent electrode layers having mutually different planar sizes and laminated with each other, and
a voltage application means for applying a writing voltage to the plurality of transparent electrode layers independently from each other,
a picture size selection means for selecting a size of selection means for selecting a size of picture displayed on the spatial light modulator,
an electrode selection means for selecting a transparent electrode layer for writing voltage application depending on the selected picture size, and
a control means for controlling the voltage application means so as to select the transparent electrode layer for writing voltage application based on an output of the picture size selection means and corresponding to the selected picture size, controlling the voltage application means to apply the writing voltage to the selected transparent electrode layer, and controlling the writing light source so as to illuminate the recording medium and project the recorded image thereon as a writing image onto the spatial light modulator.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.